SPF officers brave choppy waters & rain to save woman in distress at Changi Beach

SPF officers rescue woman in distress at Changi Beach on 2 July

What began as routine patrol duty for two Singapore Police Force (SPF) officers turned into a dramatic rescue at Changi Beach.

Deputy Team Leader Inspector (Insp) Rizduan Moktar, 47, and Special Constable Sergeant (SC/Sgt) Muhammad Syahid Bin Faries, 24, ended up charging into the sea to pull a distressed woman to safety.

Police receive call from a worried husband

At around 2.30pm on 2 July, the Police Operations Command Centre (POCC) received a call from a worried husband, reporting that his wife had taken a private hire vehicle to Changi Beach.

Folks from POCC traced the drop-off point to Changi Beach Carpark 1 and dispatched officers to search for the woman.

Insp Rizduan, who was patrolling along Loyang Avenue with SC/Sgt Syahid, promptly responded to the call.

“Every minute felt like an hour,” Insp Rizduan later recalled as they drove towards the beach.

Police officers rescue woman from sea at Changi Beach

Dark clouds loomed as the officers arrived at Changi Beach. Scanning the shoreline, they spotted a woman walking near the water.

“Something in her body language set off alarm bells for me,” said Insp Rizduan, drawing from his 24 years of experience.

When they called out to her, she ignored them and waded into the waves. The officers then sprinted across the sand towards the woman.

Despite their uniforms and equipment weighing them down, the officers charged into the sea without hesitation. “Equipment can be replaced. Lives cannot,” said Insp Rizduan.

SC/Sgt Syahid, who only joined SPF in Oct 2023, admitted that the strong current caught him by surprise.

Together, the duo reached the woman, held on tightly, and guided her back to shore, where all three collapsed on the wet sand.

Behind every uniform is a promise

For Insp Rizduan, who has been in the SPF for close to three decades, the rescue stood out:

You’re not just fighting a person or a situation — you’re fighting the sea itself.

SC/Sgt Syahid added that real policing is about being there when people need help the most.

Looking at his junior officer, Insp Rizduan said with pride. “You can teach procedures, but you can’t teach heart. That comes from within.”

SC/Sgt Syahid shared that the equipment dried out eventually, but most importantly, they made a difference.

“Behind this uniform is a promise to the public – we’ll be there when they need us.”

Also read: SPF wins global innovation award at World Police Summit for unmanned police station in Woodleigh

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Featured image adapted from Singapore Police Force.